


Date Night

by cjmoliere, GoldsJRZGirl



Series: Unexpected series [8]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-07
Updated: 2014-11-07
Packaged: 2018-02-24 11:36:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2580074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cjmoliere/pseuds/cjmoliere, https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldsJRZGirl/pseuds/GoldsJRZGirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Saturday night and several of Storybrooke's most prominent and influential couples share dinner and then seperate for a night of romance and fun, celebrating their happy endings after so much heartbreak and separation. Couples include Rumbelle, OutlawQueen, MadSwan, Snowing, and CricketGoddess. Unexpected verse, AU! Companion to Unexpected Surprise. Prequel to Bae's Babysitting Blues</p>
            </blockquote>





	Date Night

**Author's Note:**

> In Bae's Babysitting Blues Bae is asked to watch his sister, cousins and their friends while the adults have date night and things do not go well for the teenager as the kids make a mess in the house. Now we get to see what the parents were doing. Enjoy!

~ Date Night ~

 

Even though they'd been married less than five years, the honeymoons never seemed to end for Storybrooke's most prominent couples and every Saturday night they would go out to dinner together to celebrate finally achieving their happy endings after years of loneliness and heartbreak but after dinner the couples would go their separate ways to spend some time alone together.

One of Belle's favorite things was going to the drive-in with Rumple. They tried to concentrate on the movie they were watching but being alone in the car on a hot summer night…or a cold fall or winter one made the temptation to cuddle impossible to resist. They came close to making love in the car several times, the most memorable one being the night they conceived Adriana, their little miracle. Up until that night Belle believed she couldn't bear a child after a lifelong battle with endometriosis. She was their little unexpected surprise and every day they thanked their gods for her and the joy she brought to their lives along with Baelfire, Rumple's teenage son who considered Belle his mother and not Milah. He referred to her as his 'womb donor.'

Now that Belle's condition was reversed by magic from the water goddess Ninia there was nothing she wanted more than to have another child…or two. Adriana was three years old and the couple felt their lives had settled down enough that they would have plenty of time to spend with a new baby. The only downside was that if Belle became pregnant again, Rumple would experience her symptoms with her again. Chances were it wouldn't be so difficult the second time now that he knew what to expect.

They would meet with the other couples at their house when they dropped off all the kids. Everyone planned on staying out until after the kids were asleep and for some of them staying out late was a necessity especially since they would most likely fall asleep for a few hours. After dinner Rumple and Belle were going to the drive-in where they were showing Gone With The Wind. It was one of their favorite movies and Rumple had some of Rhett Butler's traits but the celluloid romantic hero couldn't hold a candle to her sexy beast.

Per her request, her husband's attire for the evening was a blue silk shirt with a black leather vest and of course black leather pants. She would wear a matching blue dress that he made for her months earlier. He was always making some sort of garment for members of his family and Regina often told him that he should go into fashion design full time. He shook his head, insisting he would only make garments for his family and friends. Outsiders were too finicky for his taste.

Belle knew she was going to have a difficult time keeping her libido under control especially when her husband always looked stunning in his leather pants. She enjoyed seeing him in them as much as she enjoyed peeling them off him. He would ask her in their intimate moments how she liked unbuttoning the Dark One. He wasn't the Dark One anymore, hadn't been for years but she'd fallen in love with him while he was still under the curse of the Dark One because she saw the man behind the scaly skin, high pitched voice, impish giggle and of course the leather pants. While most women considered a hero a knight on a white horse, she preferred the sorcerer in the shadows….the book with the dusty jacket…and the chipped teacup.

There were still a few jealous harpies in town who wondered what a beautiful young woman saw in a man so much older and hardly the type to grace the cover of a magazine. Those she could handle by just ignoring them. It was the ones who ogled her husband like he was a juicy piece of steak that she wanted to smack with her broom to make them see the error of their ways. That started shortly after they learned Rumple experienced Belle's pregnancy symptoms with her. Most of the men in town weren't happy about it and made a desperate attempt to turn Rumple into the man THEY thought he should be only their efforts were sabotaged by Archie and Marie.

Let those harpies in the town who wanted pretty boys have them. She knew from experience that some of them had the face of an angel but the devil's heart, a primary example being Gaston Devereaux, her former betrothed. She was constantly fending off his advances during their betrothal, unaware that he was the man who raped Marie and fathered her child. Fortunately she found out the truth the very day Rumple came to ask her to be his castle's caretaker but in Storybrooke he still tried to make advances towards her. She managed to avoid being seriously harmed by him but her sister didn't and she was almost raped by Gaston's friend Keith Nottingham. Thankfully Rumple came to her rescue but later that night Keith raped a young woman named Barbara Allen.

After Marie's attack, the women in the town added one more reason to why they found Mr. Gold so appealing. As he did in the Barbara Allen case, he went to court to prosecute Gaston Devereaux and warn other men in the town that violence against women would NOT be tolerated in their town any longer and Belle couldn't have been more proud of her husband.

"Are you ready, sweetheart?" he asked softly.

"Mmmm…." She reached around him and pinched his backside.

"Hands off the merchandise, dearie!" he giggled.

"Oh, I can put my hands on it anytime I want to because it's mine…" she purred.

"Oh, and are ye gonna have a tattoo saying 'Property of Belle' drawn on my arse?" he inquired.

She laughed. Bae often joked that she should get his father a tattoo with those very words on it because seeing other women ogling her husband brought out Belle's Amazon warrior nature.

"I should….and you do little to discourage it when you walk around and make that leather MOLD to your backside, you beast!"

"Aye…and what kind of beast am I, sweetheart?" he inquired rakishly.

"My sexy beast…" she whispered.

"Ye keep talkin' like that, mo chori and we won't make it out of this bedroom…"

"Later…" She pressed a finger to his lips as he was about to kiss her. Had he done that, they wouldn't have made it out of the bedroom for a least a few hours and the other couples would be arriving any minute.

"Are you ready now, sweetheart?"

She smiled. "Always, darling."

He linked his arm through hers and together they descended the stairs to the living room where their children waited. They gave Bae some last minute instructions while they waited for the other couples and their children to arrive.

Three years later the sight of his goddess in a replica of Princess Diana's famous black gown when she danced with John Travolta still took Archie's breath away. Though their first official date had been interrupted by a fire at the school gymnasium, Archie and Marie had taken some very big steps in their relationship that night. It was the night they shared their first kiss and finally found the courage to confess their true feelings for each other. The road to their happy ending was a difficult one but through the true love they had for each other, they conquered it all and had two wonderful children. Gisella was Marie's daughter, conceived when Marie was brutally raped by Gaston Devereaux but the little girl refused to acknowledge the late Avonlea noble as her father. In her mind, she had no other daddy but Archie Hopper. Nine months after Archie and Marie were married; Marie gave birth to the couple's son, John Wayne Hopper.

Now that Jonny was almost three, the couple was thinking about having another baby. Gisella was after them to give her a sister and Jonny wanted another brother, threatening to stake out the stork's place if it didn't show up with one soon. The couple planned on spending a few hours alone at Rumple and Belle's cabin working on getting their children a sibling.

Marie watched from the edge of the bed as her husband stood in front of the mirror in the same mocha suit he'd worn that night fixing his tie, recalling how terrified she'd been that their date would be a disaster when it turned out to be one of the best nights of her life and even after three years of marriage, she still felt her heart skip a beat when she looked into his blue eyes and he spoke to her in that soft voice of his.

Sometimes she still couldn't believe the cricket she chased through Rumple's castle with her sister's broom had become the love of her life. A curse separated them, made them forget about each other but they were drawn to each other from the moment they were reunited in the Foxtrot of all places. They started over as friends but Archie knew they could be more to each other; he just had to convince Marie of it.

They credited their daughter and his in-laws for giving them the push they needed to take the next step from friends to lovers. Seeing Rumple with her lipstick on him and his shirt undone made Archie terribly jealous and gave him the courage to tell her he wanted to go out with her in public. He first asked her to be his date for the school dance but she'd made the mistake of talking about it at the Foxtrot and Merri Blue went to the principal about it and Archie was told he could still chaperon but not with her on his arm. He told them to find another one and stormed out.

Not long after that, Marie mentioned the aborted date to Belle while Gisella was telling Rumple how she wanted Archie to be her daddy and the couple decided that Marie and Archie would have their date after all…at the cabin but before that Rumple gave his potential brother-in-law a makeover that made heads turn and tongues wag all over Storybrooke once they finally appeared together in public. Everything was going well until Gaston reappeared and assaulted and threatened Marie.

Marie had him arrested that time but when she dropped the charges out of fear, she and Archie had a bitter argument and he left, thinking the relationship was over. His words to her that night made Marie realize what she risked losing by living in fear and she fought back when Gaston came for her again. He beat her badly and nearly raped her but she survived and weeks later Gaston was sent to prison where he was later killed by a fellow inmate who was in prison for killing the man who raped his mother.

There were a few more problems that arose, one of them Archie being turned back into a cricket by Zelena Miller, Regina's sister and a dancer at the Foxtrot who was put up to it by Gaston. Neither of them realized the enchantment could be broken by true love's kiss. The final obstacle was a secret Archie had been keeping from everyone, including her but a passionate moment one night in his bedroom forced him to reveal that he was still in fact a virgin and unfortunately he blurted it out in a bar full of men who laughed at him until Rumple turned some of them into living ceiling fans.

She didn't know what kind of advice her brother-in-law gave her husband but whether it was the advice or just Archie letting his emotions guide him instead of his physical needs, their wedding night had been everything she hoped for and more and three years later there was still as much passion in their marriage as there had been that night.

She stood up and walked over to him, wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him on the cheek. "Still as handsome as ever…" she whispered.

"I was so nervous that night it took me three tries to get this on straight," he laughed.

"I was afraid you wouldn't like how I looked," she admitted.

He turned around and faced her. "You were as beautiful then as you are now."

Just as their lips met they heard their son yelling downstairs.

"I WANNA WATCH LONE RANGER!"

"YOU WATCH THAT ALL THE TIME. I WANNA WATCH SLEEPING BEAUTY!" Gisella yelled back.

They groaned.

"Let's go break it up before they start World War Three," Marie sighed.

Their two children were standing face to face in front of the TV set glaring at each other.

"No one is watching anything. We're going over to Uncle Rumple's but before that you two have dates with the corner. Now go!" Marie ordered.

"But Mommy!" Jonny protested.

"John Wayne Hopper, you heard your mother. The corner. Now!" Archie said firmly.

"Aww!" they pouted and marched over to opposite walls. Archie timed them with his watch.

"All right...you two have something to say to each other and you'd better do it or you'll be back in there for another five minutes."

"M'sorry Sella."

"Sorry Jonny."

"Get your coats. Bae and Adriana are waiting for you."

"Well, that was a close one," Marie said softly. "You owe me a kiss Archie Hopper."

"At the cabin, darling…" he promised.

She could hardly wait.

"…M'havin a bad bad day…

S'bout time I get m'way

Steamrollin whatever I see

'Spicable me!" Neal Leopold Nolan was singing while he sat in front of the TV holding the stuffed bear Adriana Gold gave him when he was born as his first present. He named it Gru after the character in the movie he was now watching, Despicable Me.

"Neal, come on it's time to go," his father said and kneeled down to pick him up.

"Wanna watch this!" the toddler complained.

"Neal, you can watch it any time you want. Adriana's waiting to play with you," Snow said as she came into the living room and turned off the TV.

"Well m'gonna watch it at Driana's house then!" the child said defiantly and stood up holding Gru.

"You don't want to stay in while it's still light out, do you?" his mother asked.

"Nuh-uh."

"Well if you hurry we can get over there while it's still light out."

Magic words. The toddler grabbed his coat and put it on.

"Ready to go now," he announced.

As Snow watched her son climb into the backseat behind her she found herself thinking about how much she'd missed with Emma because of Cora and her curses. Regina may have cast the curse but it was Cora that shaped it to her design, making sure that everyone she targeted suffered twenty-eight years of misery…all because they didn't do or give her what SHE wanted which was the White crown on her head. The rivalry between the Millers and the White Royal Family began before Snow and Regina were even born.

Cora delivered the flour she made from her family's mill throughout the kingdom while he slept off his latest hangover and one day while she was delivering to King Xavier's castle, Snow's mother Eva was there along with her betrothed, Prince Leopold Neal White. Leopold found the young miller's daughter charming but Eva disliked the girl on sight only she kept her silence rather than risk angering her betrothed. Cora was determined to catch herself a prince. Leopold was her intended target but she would get closer to him through his best friend, Prince Henry and by making a deal with Rumple to teach her magic but the sorcerer saw through her scheme and cast her out. She was not able to marry Leopold so she settled for Henry…and made his life miserable.

No one suspected that when Eva fell ill years later it was from ingesting foxglove through her tea. Though Leopold expressed no desire to remarry, Cora gave him no other choice when she dangled her beautiful and intelligent eldest daughter before him like a worm on a hook and making sure the girl did as she was told by taking the heart of her lover.

Snow still felt terribly guilty for her part in Daniel's demise. Had she not told Cora about him and Regina, the two of them would've eloped but she wanted Regina to be her stepmother so much that she never thought of the consequences of her actions. There were still some people in the town who thought Snow insane for forgiving the former queen for all the pain she caused her and David but Snow knew Regina did try her best to prevent all of them from being cursed.

Now here it was, years later and the curses were broken and ALL of them finally had their happy endings. No one could deny Regina had a lot to do with that. She'd helped break the first curse and protected the one who broke the second.

She and David would have dinner with the others at Ratatouille and then they would travel back to their old castle in the Enchanted Forest to spend some time alone. Emma asked them if they planned on surprising her with another sibling and the thought did cross Snow's mind a time or two. After all, they were both still young and they enjoyed being parents…even grandparents. That night seemed to be the perfect opportunity to try to have another baby.

David was thinking along the same lines and passed through the portal the day before with Rumple to set everything up for their perfect evening. Rumple cast several protection spells around the castle and a special spell that made it snow only on the castle grounds per David's request so that they could go on a moonlight sleigh ride.

Over at the Hatter house little Maggie Hatter had several of her stuffed animals lined up against the fence with pieces of paper with numbers above their heads. Her Major Dora bear was sitting in front of them wearing a smaller version of her parents' sheriff's department uniforms and beside it was a Ken doll. The little girl was pacing in front of the stuffed animals at the fence, frowning.

"Kay…listen up…when we call yous number yous step forward so's Ken can get a look at ya," she instructed. "One of yous robbed Mister Gold's pawn shop an we gots a witness who saw you comin outta there so don't think ya can pretend ya didn't do it. Better 'fess up now an Gold'll cut ya a deal."

"Maggie, come on honey. It's time to go," her father said.

"Awww! Daddy m'playin lineup and getting ready to underarrest somebody!" she pouted.

"You can arrest them tomorrow. Bae and Adriana are waiting and all your friends will be there too. Don't you want to see them?" Emma asked.

"Yeah. Why can't Henry n' Gracie watch me?"

"They went on that school trip and won't be back till tomorrow," her mother reminded her.

"Aww crap. Okay Mommy." She glanced over at the lineup. "An don't any of ya think 'bout takin off or you gonna spend the night in a cell!"

Jeff chuckled. "That kid's getting to be more and more like us every day, isn't she Em?"

"Yeah and that's what worries me."

Emma picked her daughter up and carried her out to the car. She was excited about her date with Jeff. He wouldn't tell her where they were going after dinner but she knew it had to be somewhere other than Storybrooke because he had his hat with him.

She loved being married to a man who could take her anywhere in the world in a matter of seconds and they did that a few times over the years. It was just for a few hours but she didn't care. She'd go anywhere with him. Tonight however, she wanted them to go somewhere private so that they could work on having another child. They wanted to have another son to make their family more equal and finding time to be alone together was difficult with three kids in the house and upholding the law. She packed two sleeping bags in case they decided to camp out somewhere but only one would be needed.

A lot had changed in her life since the day Henry showed up on her doorstep in Boston. She never expected to see him again after she'd given him up for adoption and never expected to see Jeff again either. Now here she was married to Jeff, had Henry back in their lives, Grace for a stepdaughter and their little Maggie who was so much like her parents it terrified them at times.

Regina and Robin were relieved they could get their brood into the car without any hassles as there usually was when they had to go on a trip. The boys never liked to have what game they were playing out in the yard interrupted and Ellie would give them one of her regal looks when they burst in on her while she was holding court with her dolls.

Sometimes when Regina looked her daughter and saw how much she acted like her at that age, she was worried that they had another Cora on their hands or the horrid person she was when she allowed her mother to dictate her life and during the curse.

"She won't be like Cora. We'll make sure of that. She's just a bit…dramatic but hopefully she'll grow out of it," Robin said.

"I hope so. I don't want her to think she's superior to the other children and bully them. And when she finally starts showing magical abilities, I'll have to teach her to have control over them so that she doesn't make the mistakes I did…"

Robin hugged her. "Two things Ellie has in her favor that you didn't is a mother who isn't obsessed with having a throne and a father who doesn't bury his head in the sand. I know you loved Henry, Regina but that's what he did: buried his head in the sand and let your mother walk all over both of you."

Still Ellie was her baby and she loved her and hoped they would have another daughter to even out the family. She often joked about how they were outnumbered by the boys in the house. Hopefully the two girls would get along and not be at each other's throats as she and Zelena were once.

She was on her way out the door when she received a text from Snow.

Meeting tonight re: Operation: Let's Make a Baby.

Regina giggled. Snow, like her grandson was getting into the habit of giving their grand schemes a name and this one she was looking forward to. She already had some of the things she needed to make her part of the operation a success packed in her overnight bag. She slung it over her shoulder and walked out to the couple's SUV and put it in the back along with Robin's gear. They were going to spend the rest of their evening in Sherwood Forest in a little cottage the dwarves built for them a year earlier.

Packed and ready….see you there, she texted back.

The couples bid goodbye to their children and drove to Ratatouille for dinner. Linguine escorted the group to the private dining room and took their orders while another server brought out several bottles of their finest wine.

"Umm….if you'll excuse us gentlemen…we need to visit the powder room for a bit," Belle said and winked at her female companions. They all marched off the restroom.

"I still can't understand that," David remarked.

"The psychology of powder room gossip? I don't think any man; even one with a PHD can fully understand that!" Archie laughed.

"I don't think I want to know what they talk about in there," Jeff grimaced. "Probably things I dare not mention for risk of losing my appetite."

"Of all places to gossip, why the bathroom?" Robin asked. "You go in there to relieve yourself, not chit chat!"

"Because they know we won't go in there, dearie." Rumple giggled.

Once the women were in the restroom, Snow checked the other stalls to make certain they didn't have company, thanking their lucky stars the restroom for the private dining room was for those guests only.

"So, where are we all going tonight, ladies?" Snow asked the rest of the group.

"Well, Rumple's taking me to the drive in…" Belle spoke up.

"Belle…in the car?!" Emma exclaimed.

"No, no…not in the car….when we get home. The drive in is just to create the mood."

"Oh…right…" Emma teased.

"Where are you going, Emma?" Regina asked.

"Jeff's got his hat so we could end up anywhere but I brought the sleeping bags in case he wants to sleep out under the stars like we used to."

"Why two? You only need one."

"That comes later. Where are you going tonight?"

"Sherwood and our cottage. Maybe go for a ride."

"Make him chase you."

"I just might do that."

"What about you, Marie?" Snow inquired.

"Oh I can answer that. Planning on reliving the night of your first official date at our cabin, Marie?" Belle asked her sister.

Marie smiled dreamily. "Only this time it won't be interrupted and we'll go a bit further than we could have then."

"A lot further!" Regina giggled. "How about you, Snow?"

"We're going back to our castle and David says he has something special planned."

"Hopefully it helps me get another brother or sister," Emma teased her mother.

"And you'd better get your behind working on giving me another grandchild, Emma Hatter!"

"Yes, Mother!" Emma saluted.

"All right ladies, dinner first then we put Operation: Let's Make a Baby in action," Belle said with a smirk and they returned to the table.

"Sooooo...what was the big story of the day, dearies?" Rumple asked.

"That's for us to know...and you to find out..." Belle teased.

David raised his glass. "I would like to propose a toast…to all of us…and friendship, family and love."

"And insanity!" Emma giggled. "Don't forget the insanity!"

It was a nice, quiet dinner but everyone was looking forward to splitting up and spending time alone, especially the women who felt the sooner they put their plan into action, the better. An hour later Snow, David, Robin and Regina drove out to the bridge that would take them back to the Enchanted Forest, precious memories serving as the tokens that would open the portal. When they stepped through they were taken through to the main courtyard in Snow White's castle. To their surprise it was snowing and it was supposed to be summer in the Enchanted Forest.

"Rumple worked a little magic for me," David said with a smile.

Regina smiled. "Planning on going for a late night sleigh ride?"

"Oh, please tell me we are!" Snow exclaimed.

"That's why I asked for the snow honey," David said softly.

She threw her arms around him and gave him a kiss.

"Well, that's our cue to get going. Have a good time," Regina winked at her former stepdaughter.

You too, Snow mouthed.

Regina took Robin's hand and the two of them vanished in a puff of smoke. David escorted his wife into their castle. When they first returned to the Forest the castle had been in disrepair from looters and the curse itself but Rumple, Henry, Regina and Emma restored it back to its natural beauty with their magic before they all returned to Storybrooke and for the first time Emma was able to see the room she would have lived in had she grown up in the Forest. It was an emotional scene for mother and daughter as they thought about what could've been and Henry was able to see the life he could've had as a prince.

While Snow was changing, David unpacked everything they needed to make their night perfect: a bottle of wine, a docking station for their phone to play music, charged by magic and some strawberries with Cool Whip and chocolate dip. He put the docking station on the night table beside the bed and set it to play some of their favorite love songs along with the bucket the wine was chilling in, two goblets and the strawberries, dip and cream. Snow stepped out from behind the changing screen in a sheer white silk negligee to find her husband standing beside the bed holding a goblet of wine out for her.

She once called him Prince Charming as an insult but now, years later, it was a term of endearment. Cora's curses made them forget each other and put him in a coma for nearly all of it but somehow their hearts remembered they belonged together and they found their way back to each other. Their desire for each other was still as strong as it was on their wedding day, even with the threat of curses hanging over their heads.

"Where did that come from?" he murmured.

"It's a Mallory Raven original. Do you like it?" she asked, spinning around to give him a better view.

"It's...nice..."

She scowled at him. "Is that the best you can do, Charming? Nice?"

"You look wonderful honey, but...you'd look even better without it..."

"Well...ahh since you put it that way..."

It was not always easy anymore for them to find time to have moments like this...with both of them working long hours and having a young son to raise.

She crawled onto the bed "Maybe I'm not quite ready yet..." she teased.

"Snow..." he groaned.

"I have a confession to make first."

"Do I want to know?"

"Yes...tonight I was hoping that maybe we could...try for another baby. I know we talked about it and we agreed we'd wait a while after Neal was born...but I think we've waited long enough...don't you?"

He eyed his wife appreciatively. "Well . . .when you put it that way . . ." he joined her on the bed, lying next to her with his own goblet. "Is that the only confession you have to make?"

"Just one more..."

"Let me guess. You suddenly have an unexplained passion for Whale and want a divorce?" he joked.

She smacked him playfully. "Oh good gods no! I cannot believe I even went to bed with that man...ugh!" She shivered. "What the hell was going on in my head when I did that? I need to scrub it out with bleach!"

"You were lonely? I was being an idiot?"

"No, we were cursed...but dammit...I don't know how that man thinks he's the gods gift to women when all he thinks about is himself."

"It's cause he's purty," Charming drawled.

Snow made a face. "My other confession...it's more like a promise. Promise me sometime we'll come back here and have the honeymoon we should have...with no curses having over our heads, no distractions whatsoever...just the two of us. Emma, Belle or Regina can take care of Neal while we're gone...but if we have another baby we can wait a bit longer...just...not too long."

"I think that's a promise I can keep, honey," he assured her. "Because you know we never really had a true honeymoon . . since you insisted on chasing after Medusa to turn Regina to stone!"

"I was desperate...I thought maybe it was the only way we could stop her and that horrid mother of hers from cursing us..."

"I know . . .and I'm just teasing. But I'm glad we'll have a second chance just for us . . .no matter how long it takes for us to come back here."

"Now that wasn't so bad, was it?"

"No . . .and now we can get started on some more pleasurable business?" he mock-growled and pulled her to him, kissing her like there was no tomorrow, making up for all the lost time.

For a few hours they left the outside world behind and retreated to their own where nothing else existed but the two of them. And they found they still had the old fire within them, and indulged themselves shamelessly.

Much later on they dressed in their warmest clothing and walked outside to a winter wonderland in the summertime. Snow coated the trees, making everything crystalline and glittering. It crunched beneath their boots and tickled their noses as they went to hitch up the horses to the sleigh.

"I used to go on sleigh rides like this all the time with my mother," Snow said wistfully. "I'd forgotten how much I missed it."

She carried a magical thermos filled with hot cocoa and two mugs they would drink from during the ride to help keep them warm.

"I used to put a harness on my old sheepdog and have him pull me on a homemade sled my dad made for me," David recalled.

"We should do this back in Storybrooke too, during the winter. There are plenty of places we can go."

"Yes, and the kids would love it too. I could see Neal on a toboggan with Gru."

"And maybe...he'll have a brother or sister to join him..."

"I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a little girl this time."

She climbed into the sleigh and snuggled under the warm wool blanket Rumple made for them. "We should discuss names..."

"You want traditional or modern?"

"I was thinking Eva Ruth...for our mothers for a girl and since Neal is named for my father...we should name our son after yours."

"Gareth is kind of old fashioned, but we could call him Gary for short."

"What was his middle name?"

"Michael. Like the archangel."

"We could do what we did with Neal...make Michael his first name and Gareth his middle name," she suggested.

She scooted over and patted the empty space beside her on the sleigh.

He snuggled up next to her pulling the blanket, which was a red with blue trim over him more tightly. "Mmm. Now I'm very toasty. This blanket is amazingly warm." He shook the reins lightly and the horses began to trot briskly, setting the bells on their harness jingling.

They took a long ride through the woods, sipping hot cocoa, their lips meeting in soft kisses while they held each other close under the blanket, their love and Rumple's triple woven wool blanket keeping them warm from the inside out despite the snow falling softly across the land.

They wanted to stay longer, to have the honeymoon they longed for now but their son was waiting for them at home and if the fates were kind, she was carrying their next child in her womb.

So reluctantly, David turned the sleigh about and they headed back to their castle, singing "Jingle Bells" somewhat off-key in his case, thinking that it had been a beautiful night.

Snow giggled. "Don't quit your day job honey."

"Thanks, Snow. I know I've got a tin ear, my dad used to tell me I was lucky the sheep were tone deaf otherwise I'd have made them run for the hills."

"You have other talents that make up for it such as making outlaw princesses fall hopelessly in love with you...and making beautiful babies..."

He put his arm around her. "Yup. I'm full of hidden talents. Kind of like Rumple. Now HE can sing. And you'd never know it unless you caught him by chance like I did one day singing along to the radio in his shop. Dean Martin was on with "Return to Me" and I almost passed out when I realized it was Rumple's voice I heard with his."

"Maybe I should have him sing for the kids at Christmastime at school," Snow mused. "You...how would you feel about playing Santa?"

"I could do that. I'd just have to practice my ho-ho-ho and start eating more," he grinned at her.

"Well...we could just throw some padding on you..."

"True. A couple of pillows . . .I'm sure the costume department at school has some."

"Belle's class is doing a version of A Charlie Brown Christmas this year."

"That ought to be hilarious!"

"Oh yes. My class is doing a version of the Grinch."

"Who's playing the Grinch? Leroy?"

Snow giggled. "Of course. Who else?"

"Thought so. But he's gonna need help from Rumple to fit down the chimney. Dwarves don't do well in tight spaces with their solid builds." David laughed.

"He knows. Rumple's going to be our effects wizard...him and Henry since his class's version of a Christmas Carol isn't until the week after our shows."

Snow couldn't wait to see their grandson make his stage debut in the title role in A Christmas Carol. Rumple was making his grandson's costume himself and would teach him how to walk with a limp like the infamous Ebenezer Scrooge.

"Well then at least you won't have to worry about electrical failures or shortouts and malfunctions."

"Or pot smoking teenagers," she mumbled, referring to Etienne Devereaux and Savannah Harte who nearly burned down the school years earlier.

"Yeah. Thank God those two are no longer at our school," David said. "Is it true Belle has a real beagle play Snoopy?"

"She does and he's perfect, even looks like Snoopy."

"They're good dogs, even if they bay a lot. Good with kids," David said. "Hey, maybe we ought to get Neal a dog?"

"I was thinking the same thing but knowing our son, he'll name it after someone in Despicable Me. I just hope he doesn't try to dye its fur pink!"

"Oh God! Or he'll get Adriana to do it for him!"

They changed back into their old clothes and walked back to the bridge. Seconds later they were back in Storybrooke.

"Well, we'd better go pick up our son."

"Yeah because Bae's probably being driven crazy by now. I know I'd be with all of our kids."

They had no idea just how right they were.

Horseback riding had always been one of Regina's passions for as long as she could remember and there was nothing she enjoyed more than a nighttime ride. When she and Robin first arrived at the cottage he assumed they'd go inside and right to bed but she had other ideas.

"You have to catch me first..." she murmured.

She raced to the stables and mounted her horse, kicking up a cloud of dust behind her. "Let's see how good you are at capturing your queen my outlaw!" she called out.

Robin mounted his own horse and hurried after her. "You forget, my lady that I've caught you before!" he shouted back.

"Not on a horse!" Regina laughed and urged her mount, which she had received as a gift from Maurice, faster.

"Ohhhh don't count on it!"

Unbeknownst to his bride he'd been practicing racing back home with Rumple for an occasion like this since the other man could win the Triple Crown with his skill and speed.

Regina glanced back and urged her horse faster.

"And no cheating with magic honey!" Robin cautioned with a grin.

"I don't need it!" she sang.

She put her boots to Diamond and her horse bolted like a swift running flame.

Robin turned his horse down another path, one that would bring him directly in front of her as she came out of the opposite direction. In a way, it reminded him of the day they first met in these woods, when she was travelling through the realms and he and his merry men decided to ambush her coach and steal the jewels she was carrying.

Regina didn't see her husband and she patted Diamond on the neck and whispered, "Good boy! We lost him!"

"Surprise, my lady!" he cried, jumping down from the tree directly in front of her horse.

Regina pulled up Diamond so fast he reared and nearly dumped her. "Robin! You crazy idiot!" She soothed her stallion. "How did you get past me?"

"I am an outlaw," he reminded her. "And I know all the good places to hide in this forest." He sauntered up to her and grabbed Diamond's reins. "And it looks like I've just captured myself a queen."

She smirked. "Yes you have. Now that you have me, what are you going to do with me?"

"Why don't you come on down and we'll talk about it?"

When he looked at her that way talking was the last thing she had on her mind, still she was curious.

She dismounted, sliding down her stallion and into his arms. "You want to make a deal with me, sir?" she asked sassily.

"Well...we could go back to the cottage...or there's a lake nearby..."

"A lake? Hmm . . .is it the one that Rumple and Belle visited? With the naiad?"

"No, that's in Avonlea. This one is a bit more...private..."

She smiled naughtily. "Then let us visit the lake. I have a yearning to see you . . .au natural . . .like in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves"

"You read my mind." He grinned. "And unlike some Robin Hoods...I can speak with a proper accent."

"Well, you should." She took Diamond's reins. "Lead the way."

He grabbed the magic bag he brought with him off the back of his horse and led them down the path to the lake. it was a favorite camp and bathing site for him and his merry men while they were hiding from Cora's knights in the forest because they were never smart enough to look there.

He also spent many summers there as a child, before his lands were seized by the crown and he was reduced to being an outlaw to keep himself and family fed and clothed.

"My father thought about building us a home here," he murmured.

"Until my mother took everything away from you," Regina thought bitterly.

"You still can...in fact...you should. These are your lands and you have the right to do with them what you will."

"Where would you like our other little home away from home to be?"

She pointed to a large empty space between the trees. It was enough to fit a one story cottage, similar to the one that had been built on his old hiding place at the opposite end of the forest.

If someone had asked her during the time she was the Evil Queen if she would have been content living in a one story cottage with a former outlaw, she would have told them they were insane. A palace was what the Evil Queen wanted to live in but Regina was content with the simple things in life.

She never forgot that dark time in her life but she'd learned her lessons from it.

"All right then," he said as he kissed her. "We'll start working on it after the holidays."

"There's something else I'd like to work on first..."

"And what's that, my lady?"

"Another baby?" she asked hopefully.

He smiled. "We can get started tonight...after all you did say you wanted to see me au naturel, didn't you?"

She giggled. "I can't believe I'm actually going...skinny dipping!"

"You've never done that before?"

"No, I haven't," she admitted.

"You won't be disappointed," he vowed.

"I've never been disappointed by you. Myself, yes, but never you," she smirked. "And now I see why outlaws are often the subject of a young girl's fantasies."

"An outlaw with a code of honor, yes."

He undressed and jumped into the lake. "Ahhh dammit it's COLD!"

Regina rolled her eyes. Then she vanished her clothes and heated the water slightly before she dove in beside him. "Robin . . .take a bath!"

"I'd rather take you!" he growled seductively and pulled her into his arms.

"Take me to bed or lose me forever!" she teased quoting another of their favorite movies to watch together, Top Gun. Though she always imagined Robin as Maverick instead of Tom Cruise.

"We don't need a bed, my lady..." he murmured, his lips meeting hers.

"I've never done it anywhere else . . ." she murmured, kissing him ardently. She wrapped herself about him like a serpent coiling on a hot rock.

"Then let me show you something new my lady..."

"Please do . . ." she smiled wickedly in childlike delight.

Never before had she done something so bold and were her mother still alive, she would have been called every filthy name in the book. There was nothing filthy about being with the man she loved, letting him give her pleasure beyond her wildest dreams even if it wasn't in their bedroom.

Besides, she thought wickedly, Cora had done it with her unnamed lover in a barn probably in order to get Zelena, so she had no room to talk.

Afterwards they lay on the shore wrapped in each other's arms. They wanted to stay longer but their children were probably bouncing off the walls and driving Bae insane.

Especially Ellie, who could be quite demanding and bossy, Regina thought ruefully, something both of them were trying to work on with her.

"Next time...we'll ask one of the adults to watch them for a few days and have a second honeymoon?" Robin suggested.

"Sounds delightful. You know we can barely get a moment alone with all the kids in the house," Regina laughed. "The other day Ellie walked in the bathroom while I was in the shower and yelled, "Mommy, hurry up, cause I'm hungry. You think you're a mermaid with how long ya take?"

Robin chuckled. "Thank God I wasn't in there with you or she would've been scarred for life!"

"She would have been asking questions like a little encyclopedia," his wife giggled.

"And none of them I would've wanted to answer." He stood up and started dressing. "Well...let's go see how insane they've driven poor Bae."

"Hopefully they haven't tied him to the couch and played prisoner with him like they did to poor Alan a Dale!"

"Oh gods! Rumple will kill us if they do!"

"Then let's hurry back . . .I don't want the wrath of the Master of Light and Dark on my head!"

She magicked her clothes back onto her body and they teleported back to the bridge.

Once they were outside the restaurant Jeff set his hat down on the pavement and spun it.

"Any idea where you want to go, Em?"

She picked it up and handed it back to him. "We could go anywhere in the realms but...whaddya say we just hop in the car and go for a drive?"

"Parking?"

She shook her head. "No...I feel like doing what we used to do when we couldn't break into a hotel room for the night."

"You brought the sleeping bags, didn't you?"

"Yeah...and Rumple taught me a spell to keep it warmer where we are..."

"Good thing, cause we sure could have used it that time in the winter . . I almost froze my family jewels off!"

"We never did tell Henry he was conceived while we were trying to share body heat, did we?"

"Em! My God! No!"

"I'll save it for when he turns eighteen. There's this nice spot out in the woods that's perfect...and I even brought the mountain pie makers."

"Good, and it's not freezing so I won't have to feel like that guy in To Build a Fire."

They started walking towards the car and then she stopped. "No, driving will take too long...and that hat of yours has a habit of taking you off course." She took his hand in hers. "Now I've never tried this with anyone other than Regina so let's hope it works."

"Be careful, Em. I don't wanna lose an arm or something," he joked.

They vanished in a puff of white smoke and reappeared in the exact spot in the woods she was thinking of.

"I did it!" she cried excitedly.

"Yes! And everything's still attached to me! It was better than those kids in Harry Potter who went and left pieces of themselves all over."

She'd been afraid to try teleporting with anyone else besides Regina before because she was terrified she'd do something wrong.

"Regina says that can't happen. It's fake. The magic takes you or it doesn't," she replied. "Though you can teleport into something, like a door or whatever, if you're not visualizing properly."

The older magician had also stressed always visualizing yourself appearing in a cleared space for that reason.

The two of them scoured the woods looking for enough wood to build a small fire and some sticks to roast marshmallows with.

Emma used her magic to start a small fire and Jeff ripped open the bag of marshmallows and began to roast some. As he did so he hummed Camptown Races. "You know, we ought to do this with the kids. Teach Grace, Henry, and Maggie about surviving in the woods."

"Yeah we should, especially when we can go back and forth between our world and this one," she agreed.

He proffered her a marshmallow. "Roasty toasty princess!" he singsonged.

"Hmmm...just the way I like it..." she murmured.

He licked his lips, and then opened his mouth as she fed him one. Then he nipped her fingers playfully.

"Keep that up Hatter and we'll be in that sleeping bag a lot sooner..."

"Fine with me, babe. You know I love a good snuggle." He winked at her roguishly.

"Snuggle later...playtime first..."

"Oh? What are we playing? Strip poker?"

She reached into the magic bag and brought out a deck of cards. "And no cheating like last time, Hatter. I'm watching you."

"Me? I don't need to cheat. I can beat you without an ace in the hole."

"Oh you think so, eh? What if I told you the Merry Men have been giving me some lessons?"

"Those jokers? I'm the master, babe." he boasted. He rolled up his sleeves.

"Enough talk...deal em up!"

Jeff shuffled the cards with that expert ruffling that you saw in the casinos in Vegas and Atlantic City, which he'd actually been a dealer at for a time. Then he handed them to Emma to cut.

She took half the cards off the pile and set them aside. "Texas Hold Em Jeff."

"Okay. We can do that," he agreed and began to deal.

Emma looked at the two cards she had in the hole, pleased when she saw a pair of Jacks. With the community cards, she had the possibility of making two pairs.

"One shoe," she announced as her wager.

He looked at his own cards. "One shoe...and I'll raise you a pair of pants."

Dammit! Every time I try to make a cheap bet he goes right for the jugular!

"You that confident, Hatter?" she teased.

"Are you?"

She gave him a Look.

"Fine...one shoe and a pair of pants...deal!"

The next set of cards was not very promising but she'd learned it was never wise to fold a pair in the hole.

"Two shoes, a pair of pants...and a pair of underwear..." Jeff wagered with a smirk.

"I'm gonna take great pleasure in making you lose your shirt!"

"You think so, babe?"

"Yup," she bluffed. The best defense was a good offense and when in doubt, lie like crazy.

He flipped his cards over revealing a full house with the community cards. "Okay...show me what ya got."

"Awww, dammit!" she grouched. "Jacks and queens...you suck Hatter!"

He chuckled. "I believe that's two shoes, a pair of pants and those lacy specials you owe me...now pay up!"

She began to take her shoes off, giving him a come hither look as she did so.

"You got that sleeping bag out, Em?" he asked huskily.

"Right over there," she answered, unzipping her jeans.

He'd planned on making her lose her shirt with a slow seduction afterwards but he liked this idea much better.

She eyed him as she tugged off her jeans and then put her hands on her panties. Then she wriggled her hips seductively.

"You are gonna pay for that..."

"You asked for it, loverboy," she said, and deliberately took her time, knowing full well she was driving him crazy.

He reached for her and they fell back onto the sleeping bag. "Gods Em...you could...drive a man...insane..."

"We're all mad here..." she cooed and kissed him passionately.

"And I'll happily check myself into the asylum with you . . ." he answered, kissing her back.

"Let's make a baby, Hatter..." she moaned.

"You sure you want another little imp?"

"Yeah, I'm sure if you are."

Though he had a hat that could take them anywhere they wanted to go, these trips around the world were the ones she enjoyed the most.

When they were reunited before the curse broke he assumed there'd been other men in her life after him. She'd dated them but that was as far as it went. There was no one else she wanted in her arms or her bed...wherever it was but him.

Had they been able to find someone who could keep the kids overnight, they would've stayed out in the woods a bit longer.

"Let's do this again sometime," Emma whispered after they dressed and packed everything in their bag.

"Anytime."

She took his hand in hers and they teleported back to the car.

After saying goodnight to Rumple and Belle and Marie pulling her sister aside to remind her that she wanted details of how their date at the drive in and after went, the Hoppers walked back to their car and drove off to Rumple's cabin.

It was the place they spent two of the most memorable nights of their lives...their first official date and their wedding night though their first date had been interrupted by a fire at the school and their wedding night though it was perfect later was a bit awkward at first.

When they walked into the living room, Archie picked up the remote to the stereo and turned it on. Then he turned to his wife and held out his hand.

"Would you like to dance, Mrs. Hopper?" he asked softly.

"Yes I would, Mr. Hopper..." she murmured.

As he took her in his arms, her mind drifted back to their wedding day for the song that was playing on the stereo was "You're The Inspiration."

You know our love was meant to be

The kind of love to last forever

And I want you here with me

From tonight until the end of time

You should know

Everywhere I go

You're always on my mind

In my heart

In my soul

Baby, you're the meaning in my life

You're the inspiration...

"We need to dance like this more often..." she murmured and laid her head on his chest.

"You wouldn't have asked me that before we got married. I almost broke every toe on poor Andi's foot trying to teach me how to do this."

"And we drove Bae as insane as his parents did trying to sneak off to have some time alone during the reception..."

He laughed. "That poor boy...I don't envy him one bit having to deal with our brood tonight."

"Hopefully that son of ours doesn't get it in his head to play cowboys and Indians and try to tie him to a tree. Honestly, I don't know where he gets it from. I was a bit...rebellious when I was growing up but not like that!"

"Well you did tie bed sheets together and climb out a window," he reminded her.

"Yes...I was a feisty one...but you did manage to tame me...just a bit..."

He smiled, remembering that he'd said something about that on their first official date.

She raised her head and gazed into his eyes. "And I wanted you to."

And as he had that night he lowered his head and kissed her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. "If I'd known you kissed like this before that night Archie Hopper, I would've asked you to do it long ago."

"You don't want to know what the women I went out with before you said...might take the broom to them."

"Idiots. Probably the same hussies who eye you like a juicy steak now that you're mine."

"Ummm...they are."

"Good. Then I won't feel guilty about blistering their backsides!"

"They'll never turn my head Marie."

The song ended and they still stood there holding each other tightly. "I know how you are about planning everything...so what do you have in store for me this evening?" she inquired flirtatiously.

"Maybe I'm going to surprise you."

"Oh? How?"

"Like this," he murmured and swung her up into his arms.

"And just where do you think you're taking me, Mr. Hopper?"

"Not to the den," he joked.

She laughed. "You're not drunk enough to sleep in the den."

"I'm not drunk at all...and there isn't another woman in the house I can fall down the steps over and ask you if you're going to believe what you see or what I tell you," he said referencing McLintock, one of their favorite movies.

"Oh will you just shut up and take me to bed!" she demanded.

He carried her up the stairs to the guest bedroom and laid her down on the bed.

"I do love it when you surprise me, Archie."

He crawled into bed beside her and took her in his arms again, kissing her breathless. "Well, I'm not that shy former cricket you first met, my goddess and how often do we get moments like this anymore?"

"Not often," she sighed as he made a trail of kisses down the side of her neck to her collarbone. "Archie...there's something I want to ask you...something I've been thinking about for a while..."

"What is it?" he asked, lifting his head and gazing at her intently.

"I know we don't get much time alone anymore because of the kids...and we did discuss having another baby once Jonny got a little older..."

He smiled. "Do you want to have another baby?"

"Yes...maybe a girl this time..."

He reached behind her back and slowly unzipped her dress. "The only plan I had tonight was making love to you…..but yes….I think it's time we did have another baby…" he murmured and pushed her dress down to her waist.

She was barely able to think when his lips and hands were setting her body ablaze with desire. "Maureen Jeanette Hopper. Does that sound good to you?" she asked while she removed his tie and tossed it at the chair. It dropped to the floor as she pushed his jacket off and started unbuttoning his shirt.

"It could be a boy again," he pointed out.

"Well we are not naming it Errol so don't ask oh gods….get this dress off me...!" she moaned.

"I got to name out first son so it's only fair that you name our second and patience is a virtue, darling…." he teased, though he wanted her as much as she wanted him.

"There's only one name I'd want him to have…and you keep teasing me like this and my patience is going to wear out and I'm going to tear this suit off you…"

"Which is? Ahh…there we go…" Her dress now joined the pile of discarded clothes on the floor.

"Archibald Hopper Junior...but we could call him AJ for short," she whispered, both of them silent for a few minutes while they removed the last of their clothing.

"The fates seemed to work in our favor the first time...hopefully they'll work with us this time."

He didn't tell her but spending their evening trying to have another baby had been part of his plan all along. Many times over the last few months he'd seen her gazing longingly into baby shop windows and even he found himself doing it though they never admitted it to each other. It would make having time for each other a bit more difficult and it was likely he would have Couvade Syndrome with this child as he did with their son but he didn't care. He would suffer through it a dozen times if that was what she wanted.

Unlike many other couples in their town, the bond between them only grew stronger as the years passed and in the same bed where they first consummated their union years before, their lovemaking was as passionate as it had been that night and they both hoped it would once again create the child they longed for.

Archie opened his eyes hours later and glanced over at the clock on the nightstand while his wife slumbered in his arms.

"Marie...?"

"Hmmm...?"

"Darling...we should be getting back..."

"Let's stay a little while longer," she pleaded and nuzzled his shoulder.

"Ummm...darling...Bae is probably ready to check himself into the hospital by now."

"Don't wanna get out of bed..." she complained. "Make love to me again…"

"Darling, I want to stay overnight, believe me I do, but we really should get back..."

Reluctantly he untangled himself from her embrace and started to get dressed when she grabbed his arm and pulled him back down to her.

"Marie..."

"Just a little while longer..."

He went into her arms willingly and allowed her to convince him not to bring their perfect night to an end just yet.

Marie awoke a while later with her husband sleeping in her arms and looked at the time. "Oh no! Archie!" She shook his shoulder.

"What?" he asked sleepily.

"We have to get up!"

"Don't have to go to the office today..."

"We're not late for work...we've got to go pick up the kids at Rumple's!"

"Not Sunday..." he muttered, thinking she was telling him they were running late for their Sunday dinner.

"Archie, baby...we left the kids with Bae tonight and he's probably half out of his mind..."

"What!" he sat up and looked at the clock. "Oh damn!"

"Funny how time flies when you're having fun..." Marie joked.

"Well you were the one who wouldn't get up the first time!"

"And if we didn't have to pick up the kids we wouldn't have to."

"Come on, let's get dressed and over to Rumple's before our nephew calls out the National Guard."

Meanwhile, Rumple and Belle got in his Fleetwood Brougham D'Elegance Cadillac and drove to the Storybrooke Drive-in Theater, which had opened a mere four years ago, just before Belle had found out the devastating news that she was unable to have children. But the drive-in had been the place where they went to have their first date to take their minds off Belle's infertility . . .and it was where they went now to recapture the lovely moment they had there while eating popcorn and lemonade slushies.

"It's the 75th anniversary of Gone With the Wind, Rumple!" Belle said eagerly as she got in the car. Gone With the Wind was one of their favorite movies, a classic with beautiful scenery, amazing acting, and a hero and heroine both could relate to.

"I know, sweetheart. So we should celebrate it," he laughed huskily.

They parked in almost the exact same spot they had the first time a row down from the concession stand. "I'll get the popcorn and lemonade," said Belle, just as she had the first time.

"That's good," Rumple said massaging his leg once she had left. Dammit, I will not have this night ruined with my bloody leg acting up, he thought, aggravated. He should have soaked it last night, but he'd been busy helping a fellow attorney go over a case in Boston of date rape, and by the time he'd gotten off the phone, it had been too late to do so and he'd figured it would be fine. But a long day at the shop on his feet and now sitting in the car was making the muscles spasm.

He massaged it and thought of how stupid he was not to have made up a pain potion and brought it with him. The temperature had dropped and the cold always made his leg ache fiercely.

As the opening credits of the movie came on, he managed to get semi-comfortable by reclining his seat and stretch the leg out so it quit throbbing so bad. It wasn't perfect, but it would have to do.

He pulled the blanket from the backseat and tucked it around his lap, sometimes keeping it warm helped. Then he settled back and waited for Belle to return with the treats.

Soon Belle returned with a huge lemonade slushie with two straws and two bags of popcorn with extra butter. "I'm back!" she called cheerily and opened the car and got in.

Rumple sniffed the delicious scent of buttered popcorn and licked his lips. "Mmm! That smells like ambrosia, mo chroi," he said, calling her his special name, "my heart" in Gaelic.

"I love fresh buttered popcorn," Belle said, giving her husband a sweet smile. "And lemonade slushies."

She handed him a bag and put the slushie between them.

His hand closed over half the cup and so did hers. Their fingers entwined as they watched Scarlett come on screen and get ready for the barbeque at Twin Oaks.

"I'm so glad I don't have to wear those wire cages anymore," Belle said gratefully as she watched Mammy lace up Scarlett into her corset. "You couldn't breathe worth a damn in them!"

"I can imagine. They look terribly painful," Rumple said.

"They were horridly uncomfortable, and they poked you, and you couldn't take a deep breath or bend over easily." Belle grimaced. "They made you look great in a dress but it wasn't worth the marks they left on you and the way you felt lightheaded after a few hours."

"It's no wonder you women fainted when you became excited," Rumple said. "You hyperventilated from the blasted things."

Belle took a long drink of the lemonade and so did Rumple at the same time. Their noses touched and they gave each other sweet smiles over the cup lid.

"Why, sir, I believe we've met before,' Belle said in her best Southern belle voice, tossing her deep auburn curls sassily.

"Indeed, madam, we have," Rumple returned suavely. "In this very car."

Belle's mouth, with its pert kissable lips, was inches from his own. Her breath tickled his chin. "Would you think me very forward, sir, if I . . .did this?" she murmured, and then she kissed her husband lightly.

Her kiss sent shockwaves of desire spiraling through him. She tasted of butter and tart lemonade and he mumured, "Madam, you can be as forward as you like. I don't mind at all."

Then he kissed her back, and Belle almost drowned in the sensations he caused in her. Her hands twined in his silky brown hair and she pulled him half over the console and deepened the kiss, for the moment uncaring that she was behaving like a wanton teenager in the backseat of her dad's Chevy.

When they finally came up for air, their faces flushed with passion, Rumple murmured, "Dearie, we'd better watch the movie now . . .before someone sees and calls the cops."

"Emma and Jeff are off duty," Belle said.

"But Deputy Pendragon isn't," Rumple reminded her. "And I really don't want to have to explain to Bae why I'm calling him from jail."

"Oh, I suppose you're right," Belle huffed. "Let me at least feed you popcorn while we watch."

"Okay," he said affably, and opened his mouth so she could put some in.

He did the same for her and they held hands while they watched the bombing of Atlanta by the Yankees and Scarlett dance with Rhett at the auction.

Rumple chuckled and said, "Now there's a man who knows what he wants . . .even if she's denying it."

"It's like the reverse of us. I wanted you to love me and you were running as fast as you could away from me," Belle pointed out.

"I was an idiot, letting my past dictate my heart to me," he muttered. "And not watching over you better with that deceitful green wench in the castle! Because of my carelessness, you almost died."

"No. Because of her jealousy I almost died," Belle corrected. "And in a way, it was a blessing, Rumple. for you would never have admitted you loved me else. And we'd have been denying what we felt until the curse came."

"The fates work in mysterious ways," he murmured. He fed her some popcorn and shivered in delightful torment when she sucked the butter from his fingers.

"Dearie . . .you keep doing that and we're going to get arrested, because I'm going to forget we're in public and just . . ." he growled softly, his eyes heating with passion.

"Oh, Rumple . . .I wish . . .we haven't had much time at all alone and . . ." she groaned, kissing his fingers one by one. She loved his hands, slender yet strong, able to wield a pen and spin and soothe their crying daughter when she woke from a nightmare. And make love to her like he was Eros.

He groaned. "Belle . . .are ye tryin' t'make me lose control?"

"Umm . . no . . it's just . . .I couldn't resist . . ." she said, with a little guilty grin. She patted his hand and then held it.

Now Scarlett was trying to get out of Atlanta in the cart with Melanie in the back and Rhett driving. As they reached the famous scene by the fence post where he took Scarlett in his arms and kissed her breathless, Rumple turned to get a drink of lemonade and as he did so saw Belle's mouth slightly open and her cerulean eyes fixed on the couple.

As if drawn by a lodestone, he found himself leaning over the slushie cup and capturing her mouth in his, unable to resist.

"Mm . . .Rumple . . .!"

His hands tangled lovingly in her hair as he kissed her as if it was their last moment on earth and they were in danger of being shot down by a Yankee cannon.

Belle sighed in pleasure and muttered, "Aren't you afraid we're going to get arrested, Mr. Gold?"

"I changed my mind. It'll be worth it," he replied cheekily, and snapped his fingers, making the windows in the car impenetrable. Now they could indulge themselves for a bit.

He waved a hand and the car interior was suddenly converted into a springy soft mattress and then he pulled Belle onto his lap and said, "Now THIS is what Rhett wanted to do with Scarlett," he muttered and began to play with her hair while he kissed his way down her neck.

"Rumple . . .don't you think we ought to wait until we get home?" she whispered, nibbling his ear.

"I'm done wi' waitin', dearie," he purred, his accent emerging as it often did when he was passionate or angry about something. "Now I'm gonna make like a Highland reiver an' make love t' my bonnie wife!"

His fingers undid the buttons on her dress and he said, "Thank the gods ye ain't wearin' one o those silly corsets! I'd have magicked it off you by now!"

"I'd have enjoyed the magickin', darlin'!" she returned, and began undoing his shirt.

She had his shirt undone and was stroking his chest when she said, "Rumple . . .would you mind if . . .we had another baby?"

He shook his head. "Would another wee one make ye happy, mo chroi?"

"It would . . .how about you?"

"I cannae say I'd mind it," he chuckled. "Another lad or lass t'keep Bae on his toes, an' a playmate for our Rumplette. So I don't spoil the dickens outta her."

"You don't now, dearheart," Belle cooed.

"Ah, I'm a wee bit more inclined t'give in to her than I was with Bae, I think," he admitted, gently pulling her dress up and reclining with her in his arms.

He would have said to hell with decorum then and made love to her right there, but just then his leg decided to remind him in no uncertain terms that it was hurting.

He swore and sat up.

"Rumple, what's wrong?"

"My leg . . .it's spasming . . ."he hissed through gritted teeth. "I think I need to stand up for a bit. He fixed his clothes and hers and returned the car to normal, grabbing his cane and getting out of the car.

Once he was standing up, the pain lessened a little.

Belle got out too, she was feeling a little tired herself and not up to watching the rest of the movie.

"Maybe a soak will help," she said to him.

"Yes, it's probably the only thing that will," he agreed. "A nice long one in the hot tub." He had gotten another hot tub installed inside the Victorian in what was now called "the spa room", an addition he'd put on just for that.

"Would you like some company?"

He grinned lasciviously. "Are ye offering to ease my suffering, my bonny wife?"

"Oh aye...if ye're up to it..."

He winked. "Always with you, dearie." They had discovered certain ways to pleasure each other when his leg was hurting that didn't put pressure on the appendage, but one of the best ones was in the hot tub, where the water buoyed him and relaxed the tense muscles.

"And maybe...we can work on having another baby..."

She knew that was what her sister was doing.

"As you wish, sweetheart," he murmured, for he wouldn't mind another child at all.

"I'm hoping for a little Rumple this time.."

Leaning on his cane, which oddly made him look even more dashing and desirable in his wife's eyes, he said, "I wouldna mind a wee lad this time . . .with his mama's bonny blue eyes."

Or...they could have one of each. She didn't care. She loved having his children.

"Shall we go home then, dearie? Before this auld warhorse collapses an' you'll have to drag me home?" he joked.

"Yes, we shall...lead the way, darling."

They got back into the car and drove home in ten minutes, and Rumple thought as he limped up the walk that Bae would probably thank them for coming home early because then he could go out for a bit with his friends.

"I'm sure the kids are all asleep now," Belle said.

"Or just about," Rumple agreed, putting the key into the lock.

Major started barking and ran to the door and started scratching it excitedly, catching his master's scent on the other side.

"Hush!" Gold called. "You'll wake the kids up!"

He unlocked the door and came inside.

To a disaster of unimaginable proportions.

Page~*~*~*~*~Break

Once the kids had cleaned up the wreck they had made of the Victorian by painting handprints of "Blue's Clues" all over the house and had gone home, Belle had scolded Adriana and tucked her in bed and Rumple had lectured and grounded Bae for being on the phone with Andi and not watching his charges, they made their way into the spa room, which was an addition on to the back of the house.

The spa room had floor to ceiling windows all about two sides of the room and a sliding glass door leading out to a beautiful cherrywood deck. Inside the room were a small rattan table, two comfy couches with rose printed cushions, antiques from his shop, and a chair as well. There was also a small minibar, which only Rumple had the key to and it was locked by magic so Bae couldn't pick it and try any alcohol, especially after an incident when he'd spiked Henry's birthday punch and gotten the boy and all his friends mildly drunk as a retaliatory prank for Jeff spiking Rumple's wedding punch.

The floor was tiled with imported Italian marble tiles in a aqua and gold motif like a Roman bath house, and the tub was sunken in a wooden platform. A stack of towels on a rack was beside the tub and steps led up to it. The water was kept at a constant 110 degrees and there were a variety of scents you could put into the water to soothe and relax you as you soaked. There were built in seats in the tub and jets at the top, middle, and bottom which could be turned off and on by the bathers. The inside of the tub was more Italian marble, with a mosaic at the bottom, this time of himself and his family.

He shook some citrus and sandalwood liquid into the water and started the jets going, shutting the blinds on all the windows and locking the door both to the room and to the deck, before he climbed into the tub wearing only his gold Speedo.

Belle followed in her pretty white with a blue willow design custom bikini.

Rumple let out a sigh of relief as he sank into the frothing water.

"Better, sweetling?" Belle asked solicitously, joining him on the bench that ran the length of the inside of the tub.

"I will be in some twenty minutes." He relaxed against the padded leather headrest and closed his eyes, reveling in the warmth and the jets that massaged his sore leg.

Belle smiled at him and started massaging his shoulders, loving the way the water made her skin tingle and the silky sensation of heat it produced in her. She also loved how her husband looked while he relaxed, his hair floating about him like some worshipper of Neptune, catching tantalizing glimpses of his toned body as the water frothed about him, which only whetted her appetite for him, especially knowing all he wore was his gold Speedo.

Rumple cracked open his eyes and smiled, that wicked impish grin she loved so well. "See something you like, dearie?"

"I like everything I see here . . especially you."

"That always amazes me," he said quietly. "That you like seeing me this way."

"Why? Because Milah told you the only reason she married you was because her father made a deal with your spinster guardians and she thought you were spindly and too nice in bed?" Belle said, a bit waspishly. "Because Cora considered a prince a better catch than a simple sorcerer who offered her his heart instead of a throne and a title? They were stupid bimbos and worse, they sold themselves like any two bit hooker on a street corner, and they missed out on the best man in all the realms. But not me. Then and now, I loved you—all of you, in your leather pants, in your Armani suits, in jeans and a white shirt, in your Speedo, or in nothing whatsoever. You are my heart's desire, my happy ending, and for me there is no one as handsome or as desirable as you. Let the other women have their princes and pirates—I have my spinner sorcerer and that's all I've ever wanted."

"And I have my brilliant Bordreaux beauty, who is perfectly capable of defending herself from idiots with a broom," he replied. "And I need no other woman in my life except you." Her sincere statements buoyed his self-esteem, and then, since his leg was no longer hurting, he pulled Belle into his arms and proceeded to show her just what you could do in a hot tub with a bit of imagination and a willing partner.

They frolicked and played in the water for several more minutes, their lovemaking innovative, gentle, and wild by turns, a dance of passion and joy that fulfilled all their deepest desires and left them satisfyingly content, lolling in the water afterwards in a hazy afterglow.

Belle leaned her head on Rumple's shoulder and whispered in his ear, "Rumple . . .darling we really should get out and go to bed."

"Hmm? What for? I'm comfortable right here."

"I know, but unless you grow gills like a merman, you're gonna drown if you fall asleep in here," she reminded him.

He sighed and stirred reluctantly. "Aye, you're right. But we had a fine time, didn't we?"

"Always, dearheart," she agreed, and then helped him from the tub and handed him a thick terry towel with their initials monogrammed on it.

Once they had dried off, Rumple teleported them to their bedroom, where they curled happily about each other and fell asleep, dreaming of chasing a little scamp with his papa's gamin grin and floofy hair and his mama's blue eyes through a meadow of sapphire butterflies.

So ended the couples' date night, and only the gods knew if their endeavors would result in a little bundle of joy nine months later.


End file.
